Planning Poker Deck
T-Shirt Sizes
Relative sizing without numeric anchoring. Great for teams new to estimation or when comparing items across projects.
XSXSXSSSSMMMLLLXLXLXL
Card values
The cards in this deck
XSXSXSSSSMMMLLLXLXLXLXXLXXLXXL???
In the room
What a live round looks like
Each player holds their card face-down until the facilitator calls the reveal. Simultaneous reveal is the safest way to get an honest estimate — nobody anchors on the first number they hear.
- Everyone picks a card — votes stay hidden until all are in.
- Cards flip simultaneously — no anchoring from early reveals.
- Outlier votes surface instantly so the team can discuss.
- Strong consensus closes the round in seconds.
Blind mode
Lock in, then reveal — no anchoring
Blind mode enforces the core principle behind any planning poker deck: independent estimation. No card is visible until the last voter locks in — then everything reveals at once.
- Voters lock their estimate before seeing anyone else's.
- The reveal fires only once every participant has locked in.
- Prevents the loudest voice from pulling the whole group.
When to use
When this deck works best
Use when the team is new to estimation or when precise numbers create unhelpful debates.
In practice
A real estimation scenario
Backlog refinement with product managers who aren't engineers. 'L' signals more than a sprint; 'S' can ship this week.
Trade-offs
Strengths and limitations
Pros
- Accessible to non-engineers
- Fast consensus
- No anchoring bias
Cons
- Hard to compute velocity
- Sizes can mean different things to different people
Try this deck in a real session
Free planning poker — no signup required. Your team joins from one link.